1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electrosurgical system, and more specifically, to an electrosurgical generator for delivering high power radiofrequency (RF) energy using multiple resonant inductor-capacitor (LC) networks and a switching module for adjusting the energy to make it suitable for a variety of electrosurgical procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrosurgery involves application of high radio frequency (RF) electrical current to a surgical site to cut, ablate, or coagulate tissue. In monopolar electrosurgery, a source or active electrode delivers radio frequency energy from the electrosurgical generator to the tissue and a return electrode carries the current back to the generator. In monopolar electrosurgery, the source electrode is typically part of a surgical instrument held by the surgeon and applied to the tissue to be treated. A patient return electrode is placed remotely from the active electrode to carry the current back to the generator.
In bipolar electrosurgery, a hand-held instrument typically carries two electrodes, e.g., electrosurgical forceps. One of the electrodes of the hand-held instrument functions as the active electrode and the other as the return electrode. The return electrode is placed in close proximity to the active (i.e., current supplying) electrode such that an electrical circuit is formed between the two electrodes. In this manner, the applied electrical current is limited to the body tissue positioned between the two electrodes.
In electrosurgery, radio frequency (RF) power is the preferred type of energy. However, RF energy must be generated having sufficient frequency, so that the RF energy may be used to cut, coagulate, etc. tissue by sustaining tissue thermal heating for prolonged periods of time. Current state of the art electrosurgical generators do not provide sufficiently powerful RF energy for prescribed periods of time. In addition, for each type of an electrosurgical procedure (e.g., monopolar, bipolar, vessel sealing) a different generator is used.
Therefore, there is a need for an electrosurgical generator which can develop high RF power with high efficiency and can be used to provide RF energy suitable for performing various types of electrosurgical procedures.